Cycloptichorn wrote:Lame comeback, Ican. ...
"Oh yeah? Just y'all try and move your head."
Er...No. 8, huh? Do I really want to get sucked back into this quagmire? Gone for some time and I see that the same participants are doing the same bickering back and forth.
We shall never know the 'truth' about what happened on the road to the airport in Iraq from either the American or Italian version of events: both have axes to grind for domestic and foreign consumption. And the road is well-known to have road-blocks and check-points. Occam's Razor. No other more complex alternative is required.
Maybe it was more than oil ...
Quote:
Last update: May 4, 2005 at 9:00 PM
Fraud allegations compound Iraq accounting investigation
Matt Kelley, Associated Press
May 5, 2005 AUDIT0505
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. civilian authorities in Iraq cannot properly account for nearly $100 million that was supposed to have been spent on reconstruction projects in south-central Iraq, government investigators said Wednesday.
There are indications of fraud in the use of the $96.6 million, according to a report by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction. A separate investigation of possible wrongdoing continues.
More than $7 million of the total is unaccounted for, the report said. An additional $89.4 million in payments do not have the required supporting documents.
The report accused civilian contract managers of "simply washing accounts" to try to make the books balance. Staffing shortages and the quick turnover of those responsible for the cash contributed to the problems, the report said.
Col. Thomas Stefanko, the official now in charge of the program, wrote the investigators that he agreed with their conclusions. Stefanko said his office had corrected or was in the process of fixing or investigating the problems identified in the report.
Paper trail
The money at issue is from proceeds from Iraqi oil sales and seizures from Saddam Hussein's regime. Distribution of the money was handled first by the U.S.-run Coalition Provisional Authority from 2003 to June 28, 2004. After that, the money was overseen by the Joint Area Support Group-Central, which is managed from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
Part of the problem was a last-minute push to spend millions on reconstruction projects before the interim Iraqi government took over, the report said. One agent got $6.75 million in cash a week before the handover with the expectation that the money would be spent before the Iraqis took power.
Controls over the cash were so lax that two of the agents hired to distribute the money were allowed to leave Iraq before they had accounted for all of it, the report said. Between them, those two had been given more than $1.4 million in cash that remains unaccounted for, the report said.
A different agent failed to provide proper documentation for more than $12.4 million in spending but had his accounts cleared by his supervisors, the report said. Yet another agent kept distributing money for three weeks after his authority was revoked, the report said. Told that $1,878,870 was missing from his account, the agent delivered exactly that amount to his supervisors three days later.
Source
I have always believed that very few things are as simple as any one thing.
I have confidence that the satellite photos showing the Italian journalist's car moving at greater than 60 mph will be released or, at least, available. But let us consider one thing. Assume, just for a moment for the sake of argument, that there are such satellite photos and that this is truly what they show. If so, they are likely to show the car as a small dot, which the keepers of the satellite can verify is at the place of the shooting at the time of the shooting, and from which, by comparing photos, a speed can be calculated. They are likely to show this and not be very dramatic unless you know what you're looking at in terms of location, time, and speed.
...Which facts could be easily made up, you see. Therefore, the video isn't what you would call 'conclusive' evidence, especially as it hasn't been released (and won't, btw, Brandon; we don't like to give away our imaging abilities. It was probably far larger than a 'dot')
Cycloptichorn
Resolved, that George Walker Bush, President of the United States, is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors, and the following articles be exhibited to the Senate:
Articles of impeachment exhibited by the House of Representatives of the United States of America in the name of itself and of the people of the United States of America, against George Walker Bush, President of the United States of America, in maintenance and support of its impeachment against him for high crimes and misdemeanors.
Article 1.
In his conduct while President of the United States, George Walker Bush, in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duties as Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the United States and to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, willfully, knowingly and without lawful cause or excuse misled Congress regarding evidence justifying military action against Iraq.
In doing this, George Walker Bush has brought disrepute upon the Presidency, has undermined the integrity of his office, has betrayed his trust as President and has acted in a manner subversive of constitutional government and the rule of law and justice, to the manifest injury of the people of the people of the United States.
Wherefore, by such conduct, George Walker Bush warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States.
Article 2.
In his conduct while President of the United States, George Walker Bush, in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duties as Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the United States and to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, actively participated in a scheme with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to mislead Congress and the Parliament of the United Kingdom regarding evidence justifying military action against Iraq.
In doing this, George Walker Bush has brought disrepute upon the Presidency and the United States, has undermined the integrity of his office, has betrayed his trust as President and has acted in a manner subversive of constitutional government and the rule of law and justice, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States.
Wherefore, by such conduct, George Walker Bush warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States.
Article 3.
In his conduct while President of the United States, George Walker Bush, in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duties as Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the United States and to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, had knowledge of the expenditure of funds from the Treasury contrary to appropriations by using funds appropriated for action in Afghanistan to develop plans for action in Iraq, and failed to prevent said expenditure.
In doing this, George Walker Bush has brought disrepute upon the Presidency, has undermined the integrity of his office, has betrayed his trust as President and has acted in a manner subversive of constitutional government, to the manifest injury of the people of the people of the United States.
Wherefore, by such conduct, George Walker Bush warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States.
---
This will appear in Congress soon enough.
Cycloptichorn
Quote: had knowledge of the expenditure of funds from the Treasury contrary to appropriations by using funds appropriated for action in Afghanistan to develop plans for action in Iraq, and failed to prevent said expenditure.
If memory serves, I don't think there were any funds appropriated to be exclusively used in Afghanistan.
The funds originally approved in order to plan the War on Terror in Afghanistan sure didn't say anything about being used for Iraq...
Cycloptichorn
Cycloptichorn wrote:Resolved, that George Walker Bush, President of the United States, is impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors, and the following articles be exhibited to the Senate:
Articles of impeachment exhibited by the House of Representatives of the United States of America in the name of itself and of the people of the United States of America, against George Walker Bush, President of the United States of America, in maintenance and support of its impeachment against him for high crimes and misdemeanors.
Article 1.
In his conduct while President of the United States, George Walker Bush, in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duties as Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the United States and to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, willfully, knowingly and without lawful cause or excuse misled Congress regarding evidence justifying military action against Iraq.
In doing this, George Walker Bush has brought disrepute upon the Presidency, has undermined the integrity of his office, has betrayed his trust as President and has acted in a manner subversive of constitutional government and the rule of law and justice, to the manifest injury of the people of the people of the United States.
Wherefore, by such conduct, George Walker Bush warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States.
Article 2.
In his conduct while President of the United States, George Walker Bush, in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duties as Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the United States and to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, actively participated in a scheme with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to mislead Congress and the Parliament of the United Kingdom regarding evidence justifying military action against Iraq.
In doing this, George Walker Bush has brought disrepute upon the Presidency and the United States, has undermined the integrity of his office, has betrayed his trust as President and has acted in a manner subversive of constitutional government and the rule of law and justice, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States.
Wherefore, by such conduct, George Walker Bush warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States.
Article 3.
In his conduct while President of the United States, George Walker Bush, in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duties as Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the United States and to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, had knowledge of the expenditure of funds from the Treasury contrary to appropriations by using funds appropriated for action in Afghanistan to develop plans for action in Iraq, and failed to prevent said expenditure.
In doing this, George Walker Bush has brought disrepute upon the Presidency, has undermined the integrity of his office, has betrayed his trust as President and has acted in a manner subversive of constitutional government, to the manifest injury of the people of the people of the United States.
Wherefore, by such conduct, George Walker Bush warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States.
---
This will appear in Congress soon enough.
Cycloptichorn
I think we have just witnessed a liberal wet dream!
Cycloptichorn wrote:...Which facts could be easily made up, you see. Therefore, the video isn't what you would call 'conclusive' evidence, especially as it hasn't been released (and won't, btw, Brandon; we don't like to give away our imaging abilities. It was probably far larger than a 'dot')
Cycloptichorn
Probably so. If you believe that the people presenting the data are telling the truth at least about what the data is and where they got it, then it would be conclusive. Since almost any evidence can be faked with one degree or another of difficulty, very little evidence is ever totally conclusive. Even if it were a clear color movie of the car, the license plate, and the conversations in the car and at the outpost, it would still not be conclusive if you believed that the Pentagon was sufficiently dishonest and determined to manufacture it.
This is a good point, Brandon. Given that the Pentagon/armed forces have conclusively lied and faked things many, many times, how can one trust them not to?
Cycloptichorn
Cycloptichorn wrote:This is a good point, Brandon. Given that the Pentagon/armed forces have conclusively lied and faked things many, many times, how can one trust them not to?
Cycloptichorn
I suspect that if I looked at your list of Penatgon lies, and removed the good faith Pentagon errors, the lies that were never sancttioned anywhere near the top, the Pentagon statements that they truly believe but you don't, and allowed only the actual lies to remain, there wouldn't be a great deal left.
Well, that's how they always take care of problems, isn't it? Blame it on the underlings, call it a 'good faith' error. It's never an actual 'lie.' Noone at the top ever goes down; the system is designed specifically to keep that from happening, and who can blame them? If I were on top, I'd design the system that way myself.
Cycloptichorn
The truth of the matter will eventually come out, but not through any official venues from either nation. It will come out, when they are less inclined to tote any particular line (for whatever reason), by eyewitnesses on the ground at that time and place.
As for impeachment, wet dream or not, it can't come soon enough for me. And probably won't come (no pun intended), at all.
Cycloptichorn wrote:Well, that's how they always take care of problems, isn't it? Blame it on the underlings, call it a 'good faith' error. It's never an actual 'lie.' Noone at the top ever goes down; the system is designed specifically to keep that from happening, and who can blame them? If I were on top, I'd design the system that way myself.
Cycloptichorn
That's a whole lot different than you always blaming it on the
abovelings. In your case, the neat thing is that anything that is perpetrated without the knowledge and agreement of the
abovelings can never be shown to be just that with certainty. Consequently, such blame can never be proven false with certainty. Consequently,
abovelings are always easy marks for slanderers and libelers.
sumac wrote: ... As for impeachment, wet dream or not, it can't come soon enough for me. And probably won't come (no pun intended), at all.
Not even as a wet dream
Dried up prostate gland
Or, having trouble sleeping and dreaming
Cycloptichorn wrote:This is a good point, Brandon. Given that the Pentagon/armed forces have conclusively lied and faked things many, many times, how can one trust them not to? Cycloptichorn
That's your modus operandi at work again. You accuse Bush&Adm of whatever you can find some reporter or some blog of accusing Bush&Adm, and then when Bush&Ad refute the accusation you accuse them, or perhaps only part of them, of:
Quote:Given that the Pentagon/armed forces have conclusively lied and faked things many, many times, how can one trust them not to?
But all of you, you, your selected reporters, and your selected blogs are the ones who have in fact been shown to:
Quote:have conclusively lied and faked things many, many times, how can one trust [you all] not to?
Aw, let's wait and see... The WH will eventually show us the conclusive proof. Wouldn't it?
